why
Pronunciation: /waɪ; (US) hwaɪ/
Translate why | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
French translation of why
Note that there are three ways of asking questions using why:— why did you go? = pourquoi est-ce que tu y es allé?, pourquoi y es-tu allé?, tu y es allé pourquoi?
A. adv
- 1 (in questions) pourquoi why do you ask? = pourquoi est-ce que tu me poses la question?, pourquoi me poses-tu la question? why bother? = pourquoi se tracasser? why the delay? = pourquoi ce retard? why not? = pourquoi pas? ‘tell them’—‘why should I?’ = ‘dis-le-leur’—‘et pourquoi (est-ce que je devrais le faire)?’
- 2 (making suggestions) pourquoi why don't we go away for the weekend? = pourquoi ne pas partir quelque part pour le week-end? why don't I invite them for dinner? = et si je les invitais à manger?